5 Secrets to Producing Brilliant Looking Video on a Budget

Every brand knows that video is an essential element of a successful marketing plan. But you don’t want just any video, you want a brilliant looking video that enhances your image and communicates your message effectively.

With an unlimited budget, creating a high quality video would be easy. Spare no expense, buy all the gear, and delegate everything. In the real world, every brand has a budget, and staying within the budget is a crucial part of a project’s success.

The challenge is to create a professional quality video that not only engages your audience but bolsters your credibility, all without breaking the bank. The good news is, you can achieve both goals with these five tips.

5 video production secrets:

1. Make your team the talent. Sure, there are people who act for a living, but putting your people in front of the camera instead of paid actors won’t simply save you money, it will convey authenticity, and build a connection with your audience.

Memorize your script, practice your delivery, and don’t be afraid to try multiple takes. Deliver your lines a few different ways and get honest feedback from others. Then pick the best take to include in the final cut.

2. Create multiple videos in one shoot. Of all the ways to save money, this might be the most effective. If you’re hiring a production crew, securing a site, getting into wardrobe and memorizing lines for a quick shoot, don’t let the moment slip away without creating all the video content you can.

The second, third, and fourth videos you film in one day of shooting will cost a fraction of what you’d pay to bring everyone back out again to shoot the videos one at a time.

3. Minimize locations. Just like creating multiple videos in one shoot saves money, creating multiple shots at one scene can cut costs significantly. Each time a video production company has to set up, break down, and travel for your video, it costs you valuable time and money.

4. Tighten up the script. As French Philosopher, Blaise Pascal, famously wrote, “I would have written you a shorter video script, but I did not have the time.” More often than not, a shorter video is a cheaper video.

Less time shooting, less scenes, less lines, and less editing, means less expense. Brevity also forces you to be more clear and concise, cutting any excess. Distilling your message to its core may be a challenge on the front end, but it will save you money in the long run.

5. Re-use old footage. If you’ve produced videos for your brand before, you likely have footage that can be used for multiple videos. Older footage can be particularly useful for broll. Clips of your team, your office, your products and services don’t need to be shot again for each video, if they’re high quality.

Keep a catalog of video files by category. As you continue to create new videos, this library will become more and more valuable.